Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.
March 22, 2008

Chinese Dissidents Call on Beijing to Open Talks with Dalai Lama
----------------------------------------------------------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1BA0ABB:A6F02AD83191E1608FCD1EA0A70A124198CBE7246176B735& Meanwhile, China's
Communist Party newspaper calling on government to 'resolutely crush'
Tibet's independence movement





Dalai Lama gestures as he speaks to the media in Dharmsala, India, 18
Mar 2008A group of Chinese dissidents called on Beijing Saturday to
open direct talks with Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai
Lama, in an effort to end the violence in the region.

The nearly 30 dissidents also urged the Chinese government to open
Tibet to foreign media and allow United Nations investigators into the
region.  They say independent views are needed to change what they
called the international community's "distrust."

Meanwhile, China's Communist Party newspaper is calling on the
government to "resolutely crush" Tibet's independence movement.

A commentary in the People's Daily accuses the Dalai Lama of plotting
recent anti-government protests in Tibet in hopes of undermining the
upcoming Beijing Olympics and splitting Tibet from China.

The Dalai Lama has denied calling for protests.

Chinese authorities have raised the official death toll from the past
week's riots to 19, including 18 civilians and a policeman.  Tibetan
exile groups say at least 80 people were killed in Lhasa, and that
clashes in other Chinese provinces claimed nearly 20 lives.

Reports from China say Beijing has sent elite units of the People's
Liberation Army into Tibet to crack down on the protests.

China has expelled all foreign journalists from Tibet and tried to
prevent others from reaching neighboring provinces.  Before they were
forced to leave, journalists were able to report on a buildup of
thousands of troops, along with blockades and checkpoints across a
wide swath of western China.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


.